Composite floor-tile.



P. H. MCGIEHAN.

-COMPOSITE FLOOR TILE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 14. 19:6.

1 1 98,94@ Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

PATRICK H. MQGIEHAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COMPOSITE FLOOR-TILE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

Application filed January 14, 1916. Serial No. 72,085.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK H. Mo- GIEHAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Composite Floor-Tiles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the inven tion, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to improvements in composite floor tiles.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of that class of composite floor tiles which consist of a vitrified encaustic or other body provided with an opening or cavity in its upper surface to receive an insert of non-slipping material, and to provide a simple, practical and comparatively inexpensive floor tile of this character equipped with an insert of abrasive cement and so constructed that the insert of cement will in curing or setting expand and cause the cement insert to rise at the center and form a convex crown and project beyond the upper face of the tile to provide a non-slipping surface and at the same time increase the life or durability of the tile by prolonging the wear of the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide a floor tile of this character in which the walls of the opening or cavity will not only cause an expansion upwardly and centrally to form the said crown but which will also operate to securely anchor the insert within the cavity or opening and at the same time present solid portions of the body of the tile at points subjected to the greatest strain so that there will be no liability of the tile cracking under the strain incident to its use.

lVith these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a plan view of a composite tile constructed in accordance with this invention, Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the body portion of the tile, the antislipping insert being removed, Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the tile, the insert being in position.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawing.

In the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, 1 designates a. body portion of the floor tile provided with an opening or cavity 2 preferably of a depth to extend approximately about half way through the tile but the opening or cavity may be made of any desired depth as will be readily understood.

The bottom 3 of the cavity is convexed forming a raised center and curving downwardly and outwardly to the walls of the opening or cavity which is preferably of circular form. The lower portion 4 of the walls of the opening or cavity are curved and present concave inner faces or surfaces which extend upwardly and inwardly to a point midway between the top and bottom of the opening and the upper portion 5 of the walls of the cavity are straight in vertical section and inclined and extend upwardly and outwardly. The flaring upper portion tapers downwardly and inwardly and is of less size than the lower portion of the opening which is adapted to cause a nonslipping insert 6 to become securely anchored within the opening or cavity of the tile body. The outwardly inclined walls or faces of the upper portion of the opening or cavity are arranged perpendicular to lines a which intersect centrally of the cavity above the upper surface of the body at the center of the top of the arch of the crown 7 of the non-slipping insert. The

corners 8 formed by the upper and lower portions of the walls of the opening or cavity may be more or less curved or rounded.

The non-slipping insert which consists of a cement and abrasive material such as alundum, corundum, carborundum, crystolon, emery or other well known abrasives is of a highly expansive nature and in curing or setting expands and owing to the raised convex bottom 3 of the opening or cavity and the inclined flaring walls or portions 5 of the side walls is caused to rise at the center and form the top arch or crown 7 which projects above the upper surface of the floor tile forming a projecting nonslipping surface. The walls of the cavity confine the non-slipping insert which is forced to expand upwardly, the rounded or convex bottom producing the crown formation of the top of the insert so that the outer face of the same will merge into the upper surface of the body of the tile and prevent the feet of persons walking on the tiling from tripping while at the same time afiording a secure foot hold. The lower portion of the cavity or opening which extends under the flaring upper portion forms a perfect anchoring for the insert and securely retains the same in the opening or cavity. Also the pressure of the foot of a person upon the projecting non-slipping insert will tend to force the same downwardly against the arched or convexed bottom and the flaring side so that the strain to which the composite tile is subjected will be borne by solid portions of the body of the tile and not by corner or projecting unsupported portions and there will be no liability of the tile accidentally cracking at the walls of the non-slipping insert aperture. This will effectually prevent the insert from becoming accidentally loose in the cavity or opening in the bod of the tile.

The bOC y of the tile may be constructed of any mineral substances which will pro duce a vitrified encaustic or vitrified tile and glass may be advantageously employed for this purpose. Also instead of employing a non-slipping insertof cement and abrasive material, an insert of rubber or other material may be readily introduced into and cemented within the opening or cavity which will be found particularly advantageous for holding such an insert securely in place.

It will be seen that the composite tile is simple, practical and comparatively inexpensive in construction, that the abrasive cement in setting or curing will expand and form a projecting dome shaped. crown which will be adapted to receive the major portion of the wear and which will effectually prevent slipping. Also the projecting crown of the insert will by prolonging the wear of the tile greatly increase the life of the same. Also it will be clear that the lower enlarged portion of the cavity or opening is adapted to afford a perfect anchoring of the nonslipping insert which will be effectually prevented from becoming accidentally loose in the cavity or opening of the tile body. Also it will be clear that the walls and bottom of the. opening or cavity perform a dual function in causing the arching or rounding of the projecting crown of the non-slipping insert and in presenting solid surfaces to resist the strain or pressure incident to the use of the tile and that there are no projecting corners liable to be broken off and which might cause a cracking of the tile and a loosening of the insert.

V] hat is claimed is:

1. A compositetile consisting of a vitrified encaustic or other suitable body provided with an opening or cavity having an enlarged lower portion and a convex bottom, the upper portion of the opening having outwardly inclined or flaring walls arranged perpendicular to lines intersecting a central point above the body of the tile, and. a plastic expansible insert arranged in the opening or cavity, the flaring portion and the convex bottom of the said opening or cavity being adapted to cause the expanible insert to project and form a convex crown extending above the upper face 0 the tile body. I

2. A composite'tile consisting of a vitrified encaustic or other suitable body pro-- vided with an opening or cavity in its upper face, said opening or cavity being enlarged at the lower portion and having a convex bottom, the lower portions of the walls of the cavity being concaved and the upper walls being inclined and extending upwardly and outwardly to provide a flaring upper portion of less diameter than the lower por-,

tion, the walls of the upper portion being arranged substantially wardly and outwardly to provide a flaringupper portion of less diameter than the lower portion, the walls of the upper'porperpendicular to .hnes intersecting at 'a central point over tion being arranged substantially perpenterial of the insert against the-convex bot- 1G dicular to lines intersecting at a central tom and the inclined walls of the cavity.

point over the cavity and above the upper In testimony whereof I aflix my signature face of the tile bod and a plastic expanin presence of two witnesses.

" sible insert of abrasive material having a projecting convex crown extending up- PATRICK MCGIEHAN' wardly beyond the upper surface of the Witnesses:

tile body and forced into such projecting DAVID GRANT,

position through the expansion of the ma- E. K. RAEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patentl,

Washington, D. 0. 

